In this article, I would like to share with you some of my personal reflections on the hajj, a journey to the center of the Muslim world to where the faith began, not just for Muhammad (pbuh), but because it was where Abraham (pbuh) built the first house of pilgrimage dedicated to a monotheistic conception of God.

The holy Ramadan is the month of patience. Patience is half of faith. The reward of patience is Paradise. During this month, worries leave the believers; their sustenance increases. The ones who feed the believers who fast are forgiven their sins, and are saved from the Fire, even if they are poor and cannot offer more than a date or a glass of milk, or a glass of water.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was asked why he was fasting so much in Sha`ban. He replied: “It is a month that people neglect, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which actions are raised to the Lord of the Worlds and I love for my actions to be raised while I am fasting.”

‘A’isha, the wife of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace, and may He be well pleased with her), is reported as having said:

Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to fast until we would say he was never going to stop fasting, and he would go so long without fasting that we would say he was never going to fast, but I never saw Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) continue a fast from the beginning to the end of any month except the month of Ramadan, [apart from which] I never saw him do more fasting in any month than he did in Sha’ban.